Dear Liz: I always hear you talking about having an emergency savings fund. Most people that I’ve heard talk about this recommend keeping it in cash. I just couldn’t stand watching that money languish in a low-interest savings account, so I recently moved it over to my brokerage account and purchased a few exchange-traded funds. […]
Recent Blog Posts
Use a credit card like a debit card to avoid debt
Dear Liz: Here’s a suggestion for the reader who prefers a debit card to a credit card so she will not get in debt: Use your credit card as a debit card. Every month I pay any credit card balance plus an additional amount equal to a month’s average purchases. Then I keep track of […]
5 LAST-MINUTE MONEY MOVES BEFORE 2014
Okay, you’re on overload with all the last-minute shopping, cooking, preparing for guests and/or traveling. But try to squeeze in a few money tasks before year-end. Including: Contribute to an IRA. You can put money into an IRA even if you have a retirement plan through work, but you may not be able to deduct […]
Three ways to fix financial aid form flaws
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Starting January 1, families with college-bound students will begin submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is the key to getting most grants, scholarships and loans, but filling it out can be a nightmare. The application form “is much too complicated,” according to financial aid expert Mark […]
Friday’s need-to-know money news
Today’s top story: What to do if you’re part of the Target credit card breach. Also in the news: 3 reasons to start your taxes early, why more Americans are looking to get their financial houses in order, and how to hunt for a job during the holidays. 3 Reasons to Start Your Taxes Now […]
Does mortgage servicer Ocwen owe you money?
Mortgage servicer Ocwen was ordered today to cut clients’ loan balances by $2 billion and refund $125 million to the nearly 185,000 borrowers who have already been foreclosed. Ocwen is the country’s largest non-bank mortgage service company according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which filed the proposed court order along with regulatory authorities in […]